AI could be the secret weapon of the security industry

AI could be the key to stopping cybercriminals hijacking IoT devices to attack businesses, new research has claimed.

New research from Aruba has found that AI can help boost the usefulness and effectiveness of security protection within businesses as more and more IoT products enter the workplace.

A quarter of the 4,000 security and IT professionals from across the world surveyed by Aruba said that they currently use some form of AI-based protection, with another 26 percent planning to deploy something similar within the next 12 months.

Overall, most IT security teams saw IoT attacks as a major weakness in their company's overall security strategy, concerning both internal and external threats.

More than three-quarters of respondents believe their IoT devices are not secure, with 60 percent stating even simple IoT devices could pose a threat. Two-thirds of respondents admitted they have little or no ability to protect workplace connected “things” from attacks.

IoT security boost

When quizzed on specific areas that AI might improve in the security space, reducing false alerts, improving team effectivceness and the ability to identify and respond to attacks quicker were all identified as key benefits of AI-enriched security systems.

“Despite massive investments in cybersecurity programs, our research found most businesses are still unable to stop advanced, targeted attacks – with 45 percent believing they are not realizing the full value of their defense arsenal, which ranges from 10 to 75 security solutions,” said Larry Ponemon, chairman of the Ponemon Institute, which carried out the survey.

“The situation has become a ‘perfect storm,’ with nearly half of respondents saying it’s very difficult to protect complex and dynamically changing attack surfaces, especially given the current lack of security staff with the necessary skills and expertise to battle today’s persistent, sophisticated, highly trained, and well-financed attackers."

"Against this backdrop, AI-based security tools, which can automate tasks and free up IT personnel to manage other aspects of a security program, were viewed as critical for helping businesses keep up with increasing threat levels.”